The skills mismatch
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New Indian Express
6 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Minister Nara Lokesh taps Singapore expertise to build future-ready talent pool
VIJAYAWADA: HRD, IT and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh shared a bold vision for the future of education and skill development in Andhra Pradesh. Speaking at a roundtable conference titled 'Skills to Competencies: Accelerating Workforce Transformation' in Singapore, he emphasised that traditional education systems no longer suffice in a fast-changing, tech-driven world, adding, 'The Fourth Industrial Revolution demands more than technical knowledge. It requires adaptability, innovation and complex problem-solving.' The minister affirmed that Andhra Pradesh is revamping its university curricula to include skill-based programmes aligned with global trends to meet these challenges, and is fostering a culture of lifelong learning. He announced the State government's readiness to collaborate with Singapore institutions like Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to establish skill-based universities focused on continuous education. Andhra Pradesh is also keen to work with Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to integrate industry needs into academic programmes, he said. 'Andhra Pradesh is investing in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and IoT. The State plans to partner with SMU's Lab to develop AI-centric education and research programmes,' Lokesh emphasised. He cited Singapore's SkillsSG Ventures as a model for aligning skill-building with industry needs, a strategy AP plans to adopt through its Skill Development Mission. He revealed that the State government is also exploring partnerships with institutions like the National University of Singapore (NUS) for student exchange programmes, joint research and global exposure. 'The challenges of workforce transformation are global, and our solutions must be global too,' Lokesh said. 'By combining Andhra Pradesh's vision with Singapore's expertise, we can create a globally competitive workforce.' NUS Registrar R Rajaram, NTU Associate Vice President Sia Siew, SMU Professor Pradeep Reddy, SUTD Chair Professor Rajesh Elara Mohan, SUSS Associate Professor Yap Meen Sheng and SkillsSG Ventures directors were present.
India Today
18-07-2025
- India Today
The skills mismatch
Today, only 4 per cent of the workforce (aged 15-59) has received vocational training, despite 88 per cent being engaged in low-competency jobs. More importantly, over 50 per cent of graduates are employed in jobs that require lower skill levels than their educational qualifications—implying underutilisation of India's workforce. These are the findings of the report 'Skills for the Future: Transforming India's Workforce Landscape' by the Institute for Competitiveness. - Ends advertisement
NDTV
03-07-2025
- NDTV
Only 8.25% Indian Graduates In Jobs Matching Their Qualifications: Report
A new report by the Institute for Competitiveness has revealed a stark disconnect between higher education and employment outcomes in India, showing that just 8.25% of Indian graduates are employed in roles that match their educational qualifications. Based on data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) and aligned with the National Classification of Occupations (NCO) framework, the report outlines how over half of Indian graduates are engaged in lower-skill roles-such as clerical work, machine operation, and sales-classified as Skill Level 2 occupations. Overqualification Widely Prevalent The findings show that even among workers with qualifications suitable for Skill Level 4 jobs (the highest classification), nearly 28.12% are stuck in lower-tier roles, suggesting widespread overqualification and underemployment. This trend of mismatch is further visible in Skill Level 3 occupations, where only 8.25% of appropriately qualified individuals are in roles that match their educational level. Underqualification Also A Challenge The report also flags underqualification as a problem. Roughly 8.56% of workers in Skill Level 2 jobs lack the necessary educational background, possibly due to informal training or on-the-job learning. This highlights the need to strengthen vocational and technical education (TVET), which currently lacks widespread accessibility and robust infrastructure. Regional Disparities Worsen the Problem States with dense youth populations such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal are especially vulnerable to the growing skills mismatch. These regions face risks of chronic underemployment, increased migration to urban centers, and a weakening local economy due to skill redundancy. In 2023-24, states like Bihar and Meghalaya still had over 60% of their workforce with only Skill Level 1 education-the lowest category-while states like Goa and Kerala reported significantly lower shares in this bracket. Education Access Still Uneven India has achieved near-universal enrolment at the primary level, but the transition to higher education remains inconsistent across states. For instance, while West Bengal and Kerala have shown impressive gains in female enrolment in higher education, Lakshadweep witnessed a dramatic decline of nearly 90% over the past decade. Alarmingly, only 2.17% of India's population has qualifications suitable for Skill Level 4 jobs. Even at the state level, disparities are stark: Chandigarh leads with 11.21%, whereas states like Bihar (0.45%) and Jharkhand (0.70%) lag significantly. Upskilling Holds Economic Promise According to the report, moving workers from intermediate to advanced skill levels could increase wages by up to 149%, offering a major boost to household incomes and national GDP. But this transformation demands greater investment in higher education-currently, India allocates only 3.06% of its budget to the sector. The estimated funding gap stands at Rs 88,000 crore.
